A Vital Force

"With the ballot in her hand woman becomes a vital force--declaring her will for herself." -Susan B. Anthony

Happy Women's Equality Day!

On this day in 1920, the 19th Amendment granting women the right to vote was added to the U.S. Constitution. The National Women's Party made this "Ratification Banner" based on their violet, white, and gold flag, adding a new star each time a state ratified the amendment. When the necessary 36th state, Tennessee, ratified the amendment by only one vote on August 18, 1920, Alice Paul unfurled the completed flag from the balcony at NWP headquarters in Washington DC.



Sometimes I think it's easy for us to picture these women as mere names in a history book, instead of women like ourselves, like our mothers and friends.



Women like you and me who were arrested, jailed, and beaten for picketing peacefully. Women who were placed in psychiatric wards and force fed raw eggs when they went on hunger strike to protest their deplorable treatment and the injustice of being denied their rights. I am in awe of their resolve and their sacrifice.

"I think, with never-ending gratitude, that the young women of today do not and can never know at what price their right to free speech and to speak at all in public has been earned." -Lucy Stone

Update!

So sorry for the long absence, Dollfaces. The Sweethearts have been ever so busy. We had a fantastic Halloween, as I hope all of you did. Our little stinker had the best time picking out her first pumpkin and trick-or-treating.


After that was an estate sale, but not like the sales that I usually post about. I scored no vintage patterns or aprons or dishes at this one. This time I was on the other side. I was fine throughout the sale, caught up in the responsibility of it all. It was only later, the day after, that the finality of all of my father's possessions being scattered to the wind really hit me. Stuff is just stuff, though, and none of it really matters when everything is said and done.
In happier news, the house is ours! We closed on Halloween, but have been so busy that we're just now moving in.


At the closing, we finally met the sellers, who happen to be our new next door neighbors. They disclosed to us that the house is older than we previously thought, dating to 1910, or before. Would you just look at the light fixture in the front entryway?!


And my kitchen pantry big enough to have a window!


And the wide, dark stained trim and the cute little stairway to the attic tucked inside a bedroom closet!


The house is just drippin' with vintage charm, and it's all ours! Of course, a house this old, no matter how well maintained, has lots of challenges, not the least of which is a hot water heater on it's last legs, a bathtub without a shower, old, ugly carpet that hides a hardwood floor (in good condition, we hope), and some terrible 80's vinyl wallpaper covering at least two other layers of paper and the original plaster ( I'm clueless as to how to proceed with that whole mess on a budget, but I'll figure it out). There's so much work to be done, not to mention the vintage decoratin'! I can hardly contain myself, Dollfaces! Rest assured I'll document all of our projects and progress here. Now, back to the heavy lifting!